Prior work in neural interfaces is largely directed toward the restoration of lost natural capabilities or functions in amputees and victims of neurological injuries, e.g. the restoration or augmentation of the natural sensory capability of a subject. See for example: Buerger, S., et al., “Portable, Chronic Neural Interface System Design for Sensory Augmentation”, Proceedings of the IEEE/EMBS conference on Neural Engineering, Kohala Coast, Hi., USA, May 2-May 5, 2007, the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety. In contrast, embodiments of the neural interface methods and apparatus according to the present invention are directed to providing an “artificial” sensory capability to a subject, which includes healthy subjects. The possibility of adding new capabilities (i.e. artificial sensory capabilities) to individuals (i.e. subjects) depends on a central hypothesis: That there exists sufficient and accessible excess capacity in the nervous system of an individual, to permit the performance of significant additional, unnatural functions without substantially interfering with the natural functions of the individuals' nervous system.
An artificial sensory capability is defined herein as providing to a subject, information pertaining to an environment within which the subject is operating, the information being obtained from sensors that are sensing environmental attributes beyond the natural sensory capability of the subject and, recording of neural responses from the subject. Within the context of the present invention, a neural interface includes apparatus and methods for conveying information obtained from environmental sensors to the subject, in the form of electrical neural stimuli applied to the nervous system of the subject.
For example, in a human or laboratory animal subject, artificial sensory capabilities can include providing the subject with the ability to sense wavelengths of light in the infra-red (“IR”) and ultra-violet (“UV”) spectrum (i.e. beyond the natural visible range of the subject) by interfacing the nervous system of the subject with input from IR or UV sensors. Other examples of an artificial sensory capability that can be provided to a subject include; i) the ability to sense a source of radiation through a neural interface to a radiation sensor, ii) the ability to sense range to a target as determined by a range sensing device (e.g. radar or sonar), iii) locational information provided by a positional sensor (e.g. global positioning system or “GPS”), iv) locational information pertaining to location and drift of a chemical plume as can be obtained from a plurality of chemical sensors, v) visual information in directions/locations that differ from the position/orientation of a subject's eyes, e.g. eyes in the back of the head, eyes at the end of a pole, vi) sound waves outside of the audible range in either frequency, volume or location, vii) sensor data indicating the location of or directional vector to specific (i.e. tagged) objects or other people, vii) sense of spatial direction such as from a compass or direction of a local reference, viii) sense of relative or absolute timing, and ix) sensors conveying status of (e.g. vital signs, cortisol levels, EEG measurements, galvanic skin response) or voluntary communication from other people or networks.
The sensed environment can include the physical environment containing the subject, or as well can comprise a virtual environment within which the subject is operating. Virtual environments can include for example, electronically generated simulations (e.g. simulated environment) with which a subject interacts, as well as a remote environment (e.g. telepresence) through which a subject may remotely interact with physical objects. An example of the latter is in providing a subject with a remote presence, allowing intuitive control with instantaneous response to aid in guiding remotely-located vehicles or robots. For example, sensors located on a remotely guided vehicle can be configured to sense the forces and accelerations acting on the vehicle in real time (e.g. such as the effects of choppy air on an aerial vehicle) with this information being conveyed to the subject via an embodiment of a neural interface according to the present invention, thereby providing the subject with the intuitive feel of guiding the vehicle and a level of control not currently available as in conventional tele-operation of the vehicle. Other examples related to remotely controlled or simulated environments include sensory input related to proprioceptive or other feedback from remotely controlled robots or machines as well as data generated as the output of automated algorithms that monitor data and draw conclusions, e.g. software that monitors a broad set of sensor data and sends only certain information to the neural interface based on programmed algorithms.
Embodiments of the present invention comprise sensors for sensing environmental attributes beyond the natural sensing capability of the subject, and communicating those attributes to an externally mounted module attached to and portable by the subject (i.e. ex-vivo to the subject). The externally mounted module receives the environmental attributes and communicates the attributes to an internally mounted module within the subject (in-vivo to the subject). The internally mounted module converts the environmental information into electrical neural stimuli that are delivered through implanted electrodes (e.g. probes) to the nervous system of the subject, comprising either peripheral or central neurons. Embodiments of the present invention include the capability for bidirectional communication of neural stimuli and neural responses, between the nervous system of the subject, internal and external modules and (optional) external communication systems and networks.
Neural interfaces according to the present invention find application in many fields. In the military arena alone, conflicts are increasingly fought in confusing, complex environments that decrease the advantages brought by technology due to the unwieldiness of heavy weaponry, the proliferation of small arms and night vision technology, including the affect of an often-overwhelming amount of sensor data to digest. The enhancement of situational awareness for individual soldiers through a set of neurally-tied artificial sensors can provide a new advantage to soldiers operating in challenging environments and create new means of protection. Similarly, bidirectional neural interfaces can enable an advanced form of “remote presence” allowing intuitive control with instantaneous response to guide remotely-located vehicles, robots and prosthetic devices.